Your Feedback: Satisfied Customers And Their latest Gadgets

By Swetha Gopinath

Updated on: April 29, 2010 / 5:20 AM
/ MoneyWatch

As April draws to a close, it's that time of the month again where we acknowledge your contributions to BNET UK. Many of you have commented on Sterling Performance and Service Economy blog posts and long may it continue.

In the month when Apple iPad was launched, thoughts of technology seemed to dominate everybody's minds. So much so, that the elections themselves took a backseat, at least for a while.

Election stories drew their fair share of comments, though, most of which were scepticisms on the ability of elections to initiate change. Whileindiamikecriticised Brown's 'electoral weapons' and wondered "what makes them think thatwe could even begin to believe that they will change", an article on why business people fail in politics motivated bnetgreg to say that it would be best to cut MP expenses and encourage senior , retired managers to join politics.

Another star player on Bnet this month that drew as much attention as technology was its precursor -- innovation.

As technology oversteps itself and the innovation cycle reaches breakneck speed, it is not surprising that the myths of innovation as listed by Scott Berkun generated the most debate, with readers debating the merits of a planned framework for innovation versus spontaneous flashes of genius.

The end product of innovation -- technology itself -- became a bone of contention, with Scott Berkun himself sending in a comment that said: "We don't really know, when we adopt technologies what effects it will have and there are always positive and negative surprises, but not necessarily in equal measure."

As always, the issue of how you gain and keep customers is a topic ripe for debate.

An article about loyalty cards and their uses made timbeadle question the concept of consumer loyalty saying customers are inherently disloyal.

Not surprisingly technology again entered this discussion with reader Chris-Johnson exploring the potential mobile phones have in fostering loyalty.

Another article highlighted how a company fostered customer trust and loyalty on the back of technological change. This prompted a reader billcawleyto point out another way of capitalising on technology.

He said: "One of the ways for an online business to show your commitment to your customers is to allow them all to leave feedback on an independent website - as happens on eBay."

An article on happy customers resulting in happy investors aroused a lot of interest, following a stellar results report from consumer champion Apple, with readers pointing out how Steve Jobs had "leveraged customers emotional commitment to its products" while at the same point being a strong CEO who could "scoff at Wall Street and analysts" and "awe them at the end of the year with Apple's success".

In April, we kicked off a series of articles around the post of customer experience manager, which has become somewhat of a necessity for many companies. Reader Dinibird -- a customer experience manager herself -- says that her department is centrally located in the customer relations department enjoying close ties with the Customer Relations Director who gives them the power to change any faulty processes that they are engaged in.

That raps up the round-up of your comments for this month, but remember, our posts are only really complete when you provide your feedback about them, so keep those comments coming into May.